Pavement construction



Oak. 20, 1931. H. A. MYERS PAVEMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 24, 1930 7 3mm 64m? Q WZj flL $3M M I dbkomwq Patented Oct. 20,1931

- :aUBnnT A. Mvniaslior ToL DQoHIo; es'si'enoa or ONE-HALF ro AnTnUns; Hickok,

V or Tonia-no, orrro PAvEMEN'r cons'r'noo'rroiv Applicacio n filed October 24, 193i). Serial no; 490,927.

My invention has. for its object to rovide a pavement constructionthat ispartlcularly of value when-used in connection with railroad crossings where the pavement isnot only subject to the wear and'tear of heavy traflic, but also where repair ofthe-railroad bed for readjustment of the bed or rails is constantly required in order to maintain the rails 1n proper alignment with the adjoining portions of the track. The invention thus provides a pavement that will withstand the wear of traffic andfis readily removable and replaceable in order that the railroad'bed may be reformed or repaired. 1

y The invention also provides a pavement construction termed of parts that-aregelectrically insulated .from'each other to prevent short circuit between the rails'where the rails form parts of a signalling ior'indic'ator system. The invention also-provides-an elastic, slightly yieldable structure that prevents breaking of the parts that Tformthe pavement. s I "The invention maybe contained in pavement or floor constructions usable for a great variety ofpurposes and, to. illustrate a practical applicationof the invention, I have selected a cross-rail'roadway construction-having elements or members formed-of cast wrought ironand interlocking and insulating parts so formed that the roadwayQor'pa've- .ment may be readily removed and replaced as may be desired. [a The particular construction selected as an embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and .is described hereinafter. t i I V Fig. l is a perspective viewof the portion of the pavement located between the rails of a railroad. Fig; 2 is a view of a section taken on a plane located at right angles to the rails.

Fig. 3 is a view of a'section taken on the plane of the line 3' 3'indicated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of a section takenon theplane oi the line 4 4; indicated in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 isa'view of a section taken on the 5i5".indicated,in Fig. 3.1

located substantially at the levelof the tops fianges fi will lie inthe s'a'meipla'ne; :The

the slab or member 5 hasa pair otflange'portions '6-on opposite sides o f=the-'slab" 5. The slabs are so positioned betweenthe rails that the ends of the slabs "having the flanged porlie one above the other, or overlap. 3 When 11, that substantiallyfills the space between plane of the line.

preferably of a plurality o fr'electrically in-' I sulated, sections, are disposedbetween the rails andjare so located one relative to the other that they forln a surface preferably of the rai1s,;or slightly below the level of the tops of the rails, and a channel to enable the flangesof the railroad engine and car Wheels toy nove over the-rails. Therails 1 are secured to suitable ties 2, which are-embedded 3 in the track-bed.- The rails 1iare-secured by theusual: spikes 3 to' the ties 2. A plurality of cast iron slabs; or members, 5 are provided with .a plurality offlugs or shortflanges" 6" and 7 that extend from opposite side edges of the member 5.- The lugs or flanges rarelo:

c'ated below the planes of the-lugs Or-fianges 6 and preferably sothatthe top=surfaces of the ,flangesii' and the" under surfaces @of .the

. v flanges or lugsr'are spaced apart 'aboutfthe -width of the flanges. One end of each slab or member 5, has a pair otfiange portions-7 on opposite side edges and the other end: of j tions 6, located along one of the rails, -alternate with the ends of the slabs having the so :fianged portions 7. Thus the arrangement. is

such that the slabs may beplaced together and the flanges, which are of equal length, will the members are secured" from movement along the tracks, they will interlock, due tothe dove-tailing of theflanges. The opposite ends of the slabs are provided with downwardly extending portions that are,

- so formed that, when they 'restupon the bases i 10 of-each ofthe rails, theywillsupport the tops of the slabs substantially'in the plane of the rails.

One end ofeach slab isprovided with a downwardly extendingportion thebase 10 of the rail and the underside of I the top i the ,rail. The opposite end-of I each slab has a downwardly extending part 14., The, portion 11 fits in this space" and is H :Jheld in this; position when thevotheroend: of lQ V nel 9 along each-rail. The part 14:, however,

i by means ofspikes:

has a sufiicient clearance between its end and the rail 1 to permit the portion 11 to be placed 1 I abovethe ties. Bolts 80extend through the in position on one of the rails and the other end to be swung'into position so-as to place the part 14 on the base 10 of the rall and very close to'the web 15. The slabs 5 are placed so that ends 01f the adjoining slabs having the downwardly extending portions 11 alternate along each of the rails and, consequently, whenthe slabs are pushed together edgewise along the track, the dove-tailing fianges G-and 7 and'the end portions 11 of the slabs will lock the pavement in position against any lifting movement. Edgewise movement-of the slabs along the rails is prevented by any suitable means, such as In the ford of construction shown, the end slabs, that is, the slabs located at :the edges of the cross pavement, are provided with downwardly sloping portions 1 8 that extend to the ties 2 and preferably terminate in laterally extending flanges 19. The edge slabs of thepavement betweenthe rails may be secured .in position by ineans of rail spikes,

' such as the spikes 20 which will operate to sec'urethe slabs in'position and prevent their separation ina direction along the rails.

5 Whenitfis desiredto raise oradjust the rails, that is, when it is d esiredto repair the track," all that is required istoraise the spikes 20; and the slabs may be easily removed by separating itheinedgewise and lifting any number of them away from the rails, the 'ends of alternate ;slab s along either one of the rails being removable byreason of the clearance between the downwardly inclined portions 14: that rest upon the base of the r rail.

' 3 The rails," as is well known, are often'used as parts of the c rcuits of railway signalling systems and other indicating and controlling devices'and, where one rail is used as one part of the circuit and the otherrail is used-as anotherpart of the circuit, or is used as a part of another circuit, or system, it is necessary to maintain the rails electrically insulated one from the other. By my invention,

I haveiprovided a'nieans whereby the slabs may: notonly efliciently perform their function as parts of a removable cross-rail pavement, but also whereby the electrical insulation of therails maybe maintained. The

slabs are formed ofa plurality ofsections that are separ'ated by insulating blocks. In

the form of construction shown, suitably water-proofed or impregnated wooden blocks 25 are'locatedbetween the parts 26 and 27 'of'each of-theslabs 5.- Both'otthe parts 26 willcu'shion the strains and blowsgreceived by the slabs the insulating blocks preferably" support the" lower edges of the wallsslightly blocks 25 and the walls28, and the bolts 31 extend. through the blocks 25 "and the walls 29. Thebolts 30, however, are so disposed as to be located in spaced and insulating relation with respect to the walls 29, and, consequently, with respect to the parts 27 of theslabs 5'. The same isalso true "of the bolts 31, with respect to the walls-28'and the parts 26. The blocks 25 are so formed as to substantially fill the space betweenthe walls 28 and 29;: and the parts 26 and 27 having substantially equal length, the blocks 25 are lo cated centrally along and midway between the :rails 1 of the track. The blocks 25; thus form a continuous wall across the pavement and lengthwise of theslabs. They have a 'width substantially thesame. as that of the slabs 5, except that each block is provided with a tongue 34, having preferably inclined upper and lower edges 35, and each blockvis provided with a recess 36 that corresponds inshape to thetongue 34; The tongue 34 is located'on one e'ndof each block, and the 'recess36 islocated in the opposite edge. of

the block- This 'is true of the blocks intermediate the-endblocks ofthepavement. The end blocksuhave sloping edges,- as at 38; that correspond toth'e inclined portions 18. of the slabs located at theedges of the'pavement, and one of the end blocks is without arecess but is provided'with 'a tongue, andthe other of the end blocks is without a tongue andais provided with a recess. The lengths of the tongues, as measured in a the direction that the'raill'extends, is preferably the same as the width of the flange parts G and 7 ,so that when the slabs are separated and the flange vparts 6 and 7 of contiguousslabs are clear of each other, the tongues 34v of the blocks will be likewise clear of the adjoining blocks.

When, "therefore, the slabs are pushed together, the flanges 6 and? will dove-tail with each other and the tongues 34: will likewise dove-tailwith the portions of the blocks located on opposite sides ofthe recesses 36. Thus, the slabs will-not only. be interlocked with respect to each other, as described above, but also the blocks and the insulated material will'be interlocked as well as interconnected with the parts or sections' of the slabs. Further1nore,the"sections of the slabs being interconnected by means of theinsulatihg blocks 25, an elastic: fiexibleeiementis introduced into. the slab construction, which enables a cushioning supportintermediate the rails and also prevents breaking, it; an

1 curing the block to exceptional load is placed on the pavement,

since it enables a bending movement at the blocks in excess of that which would be permitted by the metal of the slabs and thus the life of the slabs is greatly increased. r s

I claim: a, 1. In a cross railroad pavement construction, a plurality of slabs extending between the webs of the rails, the ends of the slabs hav-- ing downwardly extending portions that rest upon the bases of the rails, the slabs formed of a plurality of sections, blocks of electric insulating material located between the sections of each slab,and means for'securing a block to each section of a slab and for connecting the parts to each other through the blocks.

2. In a cross railroad pavement construction, a plurality of slabs extending'betweenv the webs of the rails, one end of each slab fitting thespace beneath the top of the rail and, the base of the rail, the opposite end of the.

slab having a part inclined downwardly towards the base of the rail to a point that will clear the top of the rail when the said end is raised or lowered and while the opposite end is located intermediate the top and the base of the other rail, each slab formed of two sections, blocks located intermediate the sections of each slab, and means for securing each section to the block, the means for, securing each section to the block being sepa:

rate and independent of the means for sethe other of the sections of the slab. a

3. In a cross railroad pavement construction, a plurality of slabs extending between the webs of the rails, the opposite ends of the slab having parts resting onthe bases of the rails, each slab formed of two sections, blocks I located intermediate the sections of each slab v and supporting the inner ends of the sections,

and means for securing each section to the block, the means for securing each sectionto the block being separate and independent of the means for securing the other of the sections of the slab to the block, the slabs having short flange portions located along the edges a of the slabs, the flanges of one slab dove-tail-" 'ing with the flanges of the adjoining slab, the blocks having tongues and recesses, each block having a tongue on one edge and a recess in the opposite edgecwhereby the slabs will interlock and the blocks will interlock to prevent relative displacement.

' In witness whereof I have hereunto signed A. MYERS;

my name to this specification.

HUBERT 

